Sleep and Immunity

4.6/5 - (20 votes)

Is the link between immune function and a good night’s rest a myth?

Discuss
Republish

To really boost our immune systems, maybe we just need to get enough sleep. Or is that a total myth? Fact or fiction: if you don’t get enough sleep, it can impair your immune system. Believe it or not, we didn’t know for certain either way, until 2009.

Researchers dripped virus into people’s nostrils—the common cold virus. Now, you’d think if someone squirted virus right up your nose, you’d definitely get sick. But no. It really depends on your immune system. Someone with a cold can sneeze dead in your face—but if you have a good enough immune system, you won’t get sick.

So in the study, did it depend on how much sleep they’d been getting? Fact, or fiction?

Fact. Those getting enough sleep were three to five times more likely to beat the virus.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

To really boost our immune systems, maybe we just need to get enough sleep. Or is that a total myth? Fact or fiction: if you don’t get enough sleep, it can impair your immune system. Believe it or not, we didn’t know for certain either way, until 2009.

Researchers dripped virus into people’s nostrils—the common cold virus. Now, you’d think if someone squirted virus right up your nose, you’d definitely get sick. But no. It really depends on your immune system. Someone with a cold can sneeze dead in your face—but if you have a good enough immune system, you won’t get sick.

So in the study, did it depend on how much sleep they’d been getting? Fact, or fiction?

Fact. Those getting enough sleep were three to five times more likely to beat the virus.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by veganmontreal.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Doctor's Note

Check out these videos on immunity:
Boosting Immunity While Reducing Inflammation
Clonal Selection Theory of Immunity
Boosting Immunity Through Diet

And check out my other videos on sleep.

Also see my associated blog posts for more context: The Best Way to Prevent the Common Cold?Probiotics During Cold Season?; and Mushrooms and Immunity.

If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here. Read our important information about translations here.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This